promise
by praetoring
Summary: "She promised, she gave her word, and Jaune will cling to it for all it's worth." / Or what happened after Ruby makes her promise on the train, and how Jaune's coping with it, (he isn't). v6 spoilers


**disclaimer** : I don't own RWBY or any of the characters  
this is entirely for fun, and a way to express my love for this series.

* * *

 _"Only if you'll promise you'll meet us there."_

 _"Promise"_

* * *

The words ring through his head as he stands atop the train. The wind whips through is hair, and the snow partially blurs his vision, but Jaune stands steady.

He takes a deep breath, he can do this.

It's not that he's afraid to fail, not anymore. New his semblance might be, he has an inherent understanding of it and how to use it. It is a reflection of him after all. No, it's the knowledge of what they're leaving behind when he succeeds that sits like a pit in his stomach.

She had given her word, and he'll cling to that like a lifeline.

The train gives a jolt, and Jaune knows that Blake has cut the links and disconnected the back half of the train. As he's watching the cars slowly grow smaller, the signal comes through on Nora's scroll. It's faint and staticky due to the growing distance, but Jaune hears it loud and clear all the same.

'Showtime' he thinks sardonically, as he turns to Ren. Placing his hand on the crouching teen's shoulder, Jaune releases a steadying breath and lets his aura flow.

Like a tap that's been sprung, his aura burst forward. His hand and forearm glow bright as the connection is made. His aura flows down his arm like a stream, and into Ren amplifying his in turn.

Like a switch flipped, the power-up makes the effects of Ren's semblance instantaneous. A sense of calm rushes over him, momentarily hushing his fears. The constant feelings of worry and anxiety are squashed to small inklings at the back of his mind, temporarily pushed aside.

(There is also no rush of positive thoughts to fill the gap left. No reassurance that this plan will work, and the two groups will need up.)

Still thoughts of 'We're leaving them, we shouldn't do this, we shouldn't split up,' run through his head, even without the emotional weight behind them. The emotions are gone, but the weight in his gut remains.

Absentmindedly, he turns to look over his shoulder. They've already put a considerable distance between the two halves, and keep pulling away farther. No longer can he see the figures he knows are standing on rooftop, but he can make out the Grimm, black dots circling like flies on a corpse.

Jaune knows they're strong, they can survive a Grimm attack.

(But she was strong too.)

Still, he watches as long as he can, staring at the same spot as the shapes recede into the distance. Stupid thoughts race through his mind without the delusional hope to back them up.

'They'll defeat the Grimm and catch up, we'll be together as a group again. Ruby promised-'

The train rounds a bend and they're gone from view.

They really have separated.

And in that moment he is grateful that Ren is actively using his semblance, so he doesn't have to feel the despair. Despair and worry at being so far away from his friends while they're putting themselves in danger, and there's nothing he can do to help.

Eyes dropping, he turns forward again and settles his gaze on Nora. The wind whips her orange hair about, but she stands steady, her neutral gaze trained on Ren. She's still clutching her scroll tightly, but Jaune can make out three images on screen.

Jaune and Ren; three bars, strong local signal.

Ruby; no connection.

Gone.

His chest tightens at the thought, and a million thoughts race as fast as the train their on through his head before Jaune realizes the change. His emotions are back, and right now, he's a bundle of negative feelings. Fear, worry, distress, anxiety, anger. They all slowly trickle back into awareness, once again lingering over him, weighing on him.

At the movement under his hand, he looks down.

"We should be fine for now," Ren states, as he releases his semblance. Pink aura fades out, and Jaune's own white follows suits. The two stand tall now, separating, and share a look before both facing Nora.

Amidst the freezing cold and howling wind, it suddenly hits him just how alone they are.

JNPR has always been a team of four, a unit, a family. Even when they were with Ruby and RNJR for those months traveling, there was four of them, five when Qrow joined. Four means there is someone to watch your back all the time, means no one has to go along. Four means safety. Four feels whole and feels right.

Three however, three doesn't feel right.

Everything feels unbalanced, different. It's a change he doesn't like, and doesn't know how to deal with. Jaune finds himself desperately wishing the void was filled once more. From the look in Nora's eyes, he knows he's not the only one feeling this way.

He feels cold.

"We should… We should head back in," Ren gets out, clearly also feeling the unbalance. A look is shared between the three of them, and together, they carefully make their way back down to the warmth and relative security of the train.

* * *

"Are they gone?" Dudley immediately asks once they're back inside. He was waiting for them, Jaune realizes, as the man stands there, absentmindedly rubbing his now healed arm. Jaune only sparing him a quick glance, before nodding.

"Ya, they're gone," and heads towards their new compartment.

They aren't referring to the same subject.

The trio pass through clusters of passengers, many who are in the process of (once more) calming down now that the dangers pass. But there are also those still distressed. Young children wail as mothers attempt to hush their cries. Friends and family cling to loved ones, sobbing in their shoulders. There are sobs of fear mixed in with sobs of relief. It's overwhelming at a time when everything's off kilter.

"Sooooo I think the dining car is still connected, and I dunno about you guys, but I'm famished!" Nora's voice cuts through the cries and brings Jaune back down. "Time for food?" she asks looking between the two. Her expression is a cheery one, but it's strained; Nora's smile lacks the usual ease and enthusiasm that comes with talks of food. Jaune knows that she is putting on a facade, and really he doesn't fault her, but he doesn't have the energy to go along with it right now.

"I think I'll just lay down for a bit," Jaune suggests instead, rubbing the back of his neck. "You know, new semblance and all." It's a weak excuse, they've all seen the leaps and bounds he's made these few weeks. He offers a smile, but it's strained, and doesn't meet his eyes.

Nevertheless, Ren accepts his answer with a nod. "We'll bring you something back," he promises, and turns to Nora. "Shall we?"

She smiles back at Ren, and Jaune's heart clenches at the sight, what is finally blooming between the pair. In his eyes, those two deserve love and happiness, and he'll be damned if they don't get it.

"Rest up," Nora offers, taking up his free hand and giving him a soft squeeze. Her smile is genuine this time, softer than before yet warm.

As they flit off (well as Nora does, Ren follows at a moderate pace), Jaune enters their new cabin. The one benefit of being the huntsmen(-in-training) who saved the train is the private compartment they're granted for the remainder of the journey. While the remaining section of train is now overflowing with displaced passengers, Jaune is isolated from it all.

And in the room built for four, the silence is deafening.

Maybe this was a bad idea, splitting off from Ren and Nora. Maybe he should have stuck with them and gotten food in what's sure to be the loud dining car. Perhaps there he wouldn't be hearing the echoes of her promise, while plagued with all the ways it'll go wrong. His attempts to block out the worry are feeble at best.

Instead he strips off his heavy armour, rests Crocea Mors against the wall, and collapses on the nearest bunk. It's true, he's tired, but it's not a physical fatigue he feels. Thoughts of terrifying what-ifs flash through his head. He doesn't want this, this constant aching and feeling of loss.

It hurts, gods it hurts so much.

"I won't lose you Ruby, I won't lose anyone again," he mumbles. He'll say it to their faces when they reunite. No more losses, not again.

 _"Promise"_

* * *

 **AN** : cross-posted on ao3 under praetoring

what a shocker, the second rwby fic i've written and it's jaune angst. i love this boy and but for the love of everything good someone get him some help, he isn't in a good place right now.

on another note, did anyone else collectively lose their shit at that small jaune & ruby moment in ch1? because i did! listen, whether you ship them or not, it was such a good moment between the two, and really showed how much they care for and trust one another. like you can't deny they have a strong bond i love it.

anyways, if you've gotten this far, thanks for reading, and lemme know what you think!


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